Newborn Screening: Helping babies start life healthy

Every parent-to-be wants a healthy baby. Newborn screening takes place in the hospital 12-48 hours after birth and checks babies for serious disorders that often cannot be seen at birth. These disorders can be found through blood spot, hearing and pulse oximetry screening. If a disorder is found early through one of these screens, early interventions can help give these babies a healthy start to life.

Blood spot screening checks for more than 50 rare but treatable disorders that can affect the immune system, how the body makes energy, or other important processes. Early detection can help prevent serious health problems or even death.

Hearing screening checks for hearing loss in the range where speech is heard. Identifying hearing loss early improves a baby's ability to access language and develop on track with their hearing peers.

Pulse oximetry screening checks for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD). If detected early, babies with CCHD can often be treated with surgery or other medical interventions.

Family-centered cesarean deliveries are available

Ridgeview offers the option for a family-centered cesarean for women who have planned and/or scheduled* cesarean deliveries. Mothers who choose this option can view the birth through a clear plastic drape with immediate skin-to-skin contact with the baby (placement of the infant directly on her bare chest). This option promotes early mother-baby bonding and enhances the surgical experience.

*Cesarean birth that is elective in health women with planned and scheduled C-sections prior to admission.

Birthing Center offering nitrous oxide for pain relief

Ridgeview is pleased to announce that women who deliver babies at Ridgeview’s Birthing Center now have another choice for pain relief during labor and delivery. Ridgeview will offer laboring mothers the option for nitrous oxide to control pain during labor, delivery and the immediate postpartum period. Women can also choose among other alternatives for pain relief at Ridgeview, including epidural, IV pain medicine and hydrotherapy (shower or bath tub). Women who choose nitrous oxide can also later request an epidural or other pain relief.

A quick-acting and effective pain relief option, nitrous oxide is a pain relief method used in labor that is cleared through the lungs. It has been used around the world to control pain during labor and is slowly being re-introduced in the United States. It is most well-known for its use in dental offices or pre-op for surgeries. There are no known documented effects to the baby. Because it is cleared from the body through the lungs, as soon as the patient stops breathing it the effects are gone within seconds.

About Nitrous Oxide
How will it be administered?
Laboring women will self-administer the nitrous oxide when they feel the need by breathing it in through a mask.

Are there any side effects?
Some women have reported feeling nauseated; however, medications are available if necessary to ease this side effect. Some women have also become dizzy and unsteady on their feet.

Can I use nitrous oxide along with other pain medications?
No, narcotics and nitrous oxide cannot be combined, as they may slow breathing. You can, however, discontinue use of nitrous oxide and have an epidural; by the time the epidural is ready, the nitrous oxide will have cleared your lungs.

When would I not be able to use it?
If a patient is unable to self-administer the nitrous oxide by holding a mask to her face, then the administration of the gas must be stopped. The use of narcotics must also be discontinued at least two hours prior to the start of using nitrous oxide. Women with a vitamin B12 deficiency for which they take B12 supplements are not able to use nitrous oxide. A few other, rare medical conditions would also prevent you from using it. Women cannot labor in the hydrotherapy tub or have a water birth at Ridgeview while using nitrous oxide.